AMMAN —
Jordanians who are registered on the Ministry of Health’s
COVID-19
vaccine platform gathered at the Specialty Hospital in Shmeisani for a chance
to get inoculated.
اضافة اعلان
Hundreds of people with and without appointments headed towards the
hospital. Roads were blocked due to the traffic and the outdoor area was seen
crowded with dozens of people of all ages, waiting for their turn.
The staff received visitors’ IDs, who then waited hours for their name
to be called to receive the shot.
Jordan’s Independence Day likely contributed to the high number of attendees. A preference for the Pfizer
vaccine, which was being distributed, was another contributing factor.
According to the hospital manager, Fawzi Hammouri, more than 500
people were vaccinated during the open day.
“There was a huge turnout,” he told Jordan News. “If we had
additional quantities of the vaccine, we could have reached 1,000 people.”
He added that events like this should be continuously organized in
private hospitals to accelerate the process of vaccination, arguing that
“people like to get vaccinated in the private sector.”
A doctor who works at the hospital, Hashem Awad, was shocked at the
turnout considering the hospital was empty the day prior.
“As you can see, the situation is very messy. People need to be more
punctual and commit to the appointments given to them,” he told Jordan News.
Raghad Almohtaseb received an appointment to get vaccinated on that
day and was shocked to see the number of people waiting their turn. After an
hour-long wait, she told Jordan News that there is a clear lack of
organization and coordination.
“I do not have a problem with distributing the vaccine to people, but
the priority should be to those with an appointment,” she said. “I have been
waiting so long to get my turn, so coming here and seeing this, I was quite
surprised.”
“I thought having an appointment would make it quick and easy but here
we are,” Almohtaseb added.
Faisal Al-Saifi was among those standing in line for more than an hour
in the sun. He and his wife described the situation as “miserable” and
“chaotic”.
“We are registered on the platform and got our turn, but we were
infected with COVID. So, we are here now to get the vaccine, but the process is
unorganized and ineffective,” Saifi said.
Visitors said they noted mix-ups
in appointments as well as preferential treatment for some of the attendees.
The situation triggered angry reactions, with a few attendees confronting
medical staff and raising their voices.
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